Columbia Voters Approve Park Sales Tax

COLUMBIA - Residents voted for a third time to renew the city's park sales tax for another five years Tuesday. The Columbia Parks and Recreation Department said the one-eighth cent sales tax will generate $2.4 million each year that it is in effect.

That money will be used to maintain parks throughout the city as well as fund new park projects. Voters approved the measure in 2000 and renewed it again in 2005 before tonight's vote.

Mayor Bob McDavid put together the "Friend of Columbia Parks Committee" earlier this year to ensure the tax would be renewed. The committee was optimistic that the measure would pass.

"I am confident that Columbians will like the outcome because our parks department has been so great at doing everything they said they would on these issues," said committee co-sponsor Vicki Russell.

If the park sales tax had not been renewed it would have expired in March 2011.